1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic treatment device configured to perform an ultrasonic treatment including ultrasonic suction, and a probe unit provided in the ultrasonic treatment device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2005-137481, there is disclosed an ultrasonic treatment device (ultrasonic surgical device) configured to perform a treatment called ultrasonic suction. This ultrasonic treatment device includes an ultrasonic vibrator (ultrasonic oscillator) configured to generate ultrasonic vibration. A horn, which is an amplitude enlarging section configure to enlarge an amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration, is provide to a distal direction side of the ultrasonic vibrator. An ultrasonic probe extended along a longitudinal axis is provided to the distal direction side of the horn. The ultrasonic vibration generated by the ultrasonic vibrator is transmitted to a distal end of the ultrasonic probe. That is, the ultrasonic vibrator, the horn and the ultrasonic probe constitute a vibration transmitting section configured to transmit the ultrasonic vibration.
The ultrasonic suction is performed by using a distal surface of the ultrasonic probe which ultrasonically vibrates, and is performed by using a physical phenomenon called cavitation. Specifically, the ultrasonic probe repeats high speed vibration several ten thousand times per second by the ultrasonic vibration, and hence a pressure periodically fluctuates in a vicinity of the distal surface of the ultrasonic probe. When the pressure in the vicinity of the distal surface becomes lower than a saturated vapor pressure only for a very short time by the pressure fluctuation, micro bubbles (cavities) are generated in a liquid of a body cavity or a liquid supplied (forwarded) from the ultrasonic treatment device to a vicinity of a position of a living tissue which is to be treated. Moreover, the generated bubbles disappear owing to a force which acts when the pressure in the vicinity of the distal surface increases (compresses). The above-mentioned physical phenomenon is called a cavitation phenomenon. By impact energy at the disappearance of the bubbles, a living tissue of, e.g. hepatic cells which do not have elasticity is shattered (crushed) and emulsified. In this case, a living tissue such as a blood vessel having a high elasticity is not easily shattered because the impact is absorbed, and the living tissue is selectively shattered.
Moreover, in the ultrasonic treatment device (ultrasonic surgical device) of Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2005-137481, a hole-shaped portion is extended from a distal end to a proximal end inside the vibration transmitting section. A tube member is inserted from a proximal direction side into the hole-shaped portion. The tube member inserted from an outside of the vibration transmitting section into the hole-shaped portion is a non-vibrating member which does not vibrate by the ultrasonic vibration. A distal end of the tube member is connected to the vibration transmitting section at a connection node position which is a node position of the ultrasonic vibration provided to the proximal direction side of the horn, the horn being the amplitude enlarging section. A region (part) of the hole-shaped portion disposed to the distal direction side of the connection node position communicates with an inside of the tube member. The living tissue shattered and emulsified by the cavitation passes through the region (part) of the hole-shaped portion to the distal direction side of the connection node position, and the inside of the tube member, from an opening of the hole-liked portion at the distal end of the ultrasonic probe, and the living tissue is suctioned (sucked). When the above action is continued, the living tissue is resected.